Street kitties need to eat. And our feeders make sure our colony has a full belly every night. How cool is that? What an honor it is to know so many kind people who go out of their way to make sure these “street” cats have nourishment.

The Tripp family, who feeds twice a month, took these fantastic pictures of a few of our beloved felines.

A Saturday night feeding. Please join us to help them.

A Saturday night feeding. Please join us to help them.

A Saturday night feeding. Please join us to help them.

A Saturday night feeding. Please join us to help them.

If you want to help us feed the cats, please let us know. We always have a shift that needs to be covered. It’s fast, fun and so rewarding. Students can get community hours.

Soba (aka Mr. Noodle) needs a forever home. He’s a neutered (TNR) male tuxedo, about a year old who came to us 3 months ago and we’ve been feeding ever since. He is very affectionate and wants to come inside. Would be a perfect companion for someone with the patience to love him as he transitions from feral to housecat.

Our sweet, Lily, has been adopted by a wonderful family. She now lives with great parents and young children who keep her busy! I’m not the type to celebrate too early after our rescues are placed because I’m never sure if it will work out. Even though we take our time in the adoption process and only place the pet after so many boxes are checked, you just never know. In this case — after only 3 days — I’m confident it will stick. The family is going out of their way to see that Lily is exercised and trained. In her first day alone, she went on a long walk, ran around the yard and then to the dog park!!

I will provide updates as I get them. Today, Lily is actually in daycare because her mom had to work. I’m really through-the-moon. I’m not going to lie…I miss that little firecracker. I spent everyday with her for 6 months. It’s a loss for me but a huge gain for her which is the name of the rescue game.

Thanks to all of you who helped share her story and worked hard to find her a forever home.

We’ve had Lily about 3.5 months now. Each day, she becomes more comfortable with her life as a “normal” house dog. In the beginning, she did not know much about being a domesticated pooch. Today, she seems so much more comfortable in her skin. She calms down, she sleeps soundly, she has learned not go potty in the house, and she just adores the company of other dogs and us.

It took me quite some time to like her. I’m not ashamed to admit that. There doesn’t have to be a love affair with every animal we save. However, I have to say I am really smitten with this girl now. She has grown on me. She reminds me that I need to be free, wild, silly and fun. Her puppiness is rubbing off on me. I’m outside more. I play games with her. I give her good massages. She makes me smile. I know her forever home is out there. It’s taking awhile but it’s going to be really good when it happens. I can feel it.
#adoptlilyhttps://animalmattersonline.org/lily-rescue-2016https://animalmattersonline.org/lilys-photo-shoot

We’re always asking for people to foster and I’m always surprised why so few people offer. It’s a temporary commitment and for the most part, all expenses are paid by the rescue organization. Yes, you have to help the animal adjust to his or her new surroundings and be patient at times but it’s magical to watch an animal transform once you take them out of whatever sad situation they were once in.

We’ve had Lily in our home for only 5 days and her life is so much brighter. When we first saw her outside fending for herself, she was scared, dirty and acting very feral. Once the leash looped around her, she became the sweet dog she inherently always was.

What an honor to watch these animals go from rags to riches. Take a look at Lily today, day 5 in foster. Please keep sharing her so she can find her forever home soon. We can’t help any other animals until the ones in our home are placed.

P.S. A huge thank you to the wonderful people who have opened their homes to homeless animals either for Animal Matters or for another rescue organization. You are truly saving lives. And a huge shout out to our contributors. Of course, we couldn’t vet, feed, medicate, nor house any animals without your support.

Just when we thought we would take a little time off to rest and recharge, we received a call about a dog wandering the grounds of a plant nursery in west Boynton Beach. To make matters even more urgent is that pups are suspected to be hidden somewhere. We packed our car, downloaded a puppy sound app, and took off. The movie shows some of our first attempt to catch her. We’re going back again in a few hours. Please contact us if you will open your home for fostering. Thanks.

I don’t have a breakdown on how many dogs, cats, people (& other critters) we have helped in 2015 yet. I will get those numbers together soon.

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of my friends, family, and complete strangers for helping me help animals in need.

My husband, Scott, walking dogs who need exercise and love while waiting for homes in boarding facilities. This is the way my husband spends his free time. I’m one lucky girl. xo.

My husband, in particular, truly makes my work possible. He’s right by my side to feed, trap and medicate street cats. He accompanies me to vet appointments, helps me transport dogs/cats on a moment’s notice. He doesn’t get mad when I pull into the garage with a new furry friend who needs a safe place to chill until a permanent home is found. Together, we experience all of the emotions that rescue work evokes. We cry, we laugh, we say hello, we say goodbye, we thank God for the strength He gives us in order to keep helping others.

I’m so fortunate. I feel so spoiled to be able to do the work I do. I couldn’t imagine going through life without this purpose. Even when I’m crabby, tired, and sad, I know life is so much better with rescue in it.

I always say that I’m going to just focus on spaying and neutering since that is the only way to stop the pet overpopulation crisis, however, rescue always finds its way back into my life.

While I was vacationing a few weeks ago, I got a text from a friend stating her roommate found a dog who was tied to a street sign with a bowl of water at his feet. Someone literally drove up to a sign on a quiet street, tied their dog up and drove away. Do you imagine what was going through that dog’s mind and heart when that careless person drove away? His heartache breaks my heart.

Thank goodness, my friend’s roommate spotted the dog while pumping gas and drove over to the pooch. She untied him, took him home and named him Jetson. My kind of gal. She took action into her own hands. “If not you then who?” That’s one of my favorite sayings. I try to live by that credo too.

The only problem with Jetson at her house is that she has several cats so he had to be kept outdoors until appropriate introductions could be done. That takes a long time. The South Florida rainy weather made it super tough on this foster situation.

Back to that fateful text from my friend: I told my buddy that I didn’t have anywhere to put the pooch but I would pay for his neuter/vetting. Fast forward a couple of weeks and Jetson was taken to my vet. Before he was to be neutered, he tested positive for heartworm. Of course, he did. That’s not only a brutal treatment for the dog but it’s really expensive for us. We then took him to my other vet that specializes in heartworm and we’re assessing our plan of action now.

I hear he’s a fantastic, loving boy. That doesn’t surprise me. All Pits are. I plan on visiting him tomorrow. If someone can help us with a temporary, medical foster, please contact me. He needs to be INSIDE while going through treatment (& for the rest of his life). I’d be so grateful and so would Jetson. All food, meds and incidentals will be covered by Animal Matters.